How to Select a Divorce Lawyer

Selecting a divorce lawyer to handle your family law case is a very important decision. The following are a few important criteria to help in finding the right divorce lawyer.

Experience and Focus

Any divorce lawyer you consider should have substantial experience in handling divorce cases in your location. An experienced divorce lawyer will know the tendencies of the various judges in your jurisdiction and should be able to use this knowledge to your advantage. Additionally, that lawyer should practice primarily in the field of divorce law. Often people will hire a lawyer who practices primarily in some other area, thinking that any lawyer will do. However, divorce law is a very specialized field that requires particular skills and experience in order to have a likelihood of reaching a successful conclusion.

Past Client Testimonials

Perhaps the best way to decide which divorce lawyer to use for your divorce case is to find out what former clients have to say about that lawyer. While divorce is never an enjoyable process, some divorce lawyers have more success at satisfying their clients than others. If you do not know someone who has been a client of that particular divorce lawyer, you should consider asking the lawyer for a list of clients that you can contact who can describe their experience with the lawyer. While client confidentiality is important, any good experienced divorce lawyer should have at least a few former clients who are willing to vouch for him or her.

Accessible

When a client becomes dissatisfied with a divorce lawyer, one of the most common complaints is that they were unable to communicate with the lawyer. It is very important that your divorce lawyer be accessible and prompt in responding to your phone calls, emails, and requests for meetings. While you can ask the divorce lawyer about their office policy, this is another area where you can best evaluate the divorce lawyer by hearing what former clients have to say.

If a former client of the lawyer tells you that they found it very difficult to contact the attorney, or that the lawyer either did not return calls or respond to emails or would take several days to do so, you should definitely avoid that lawyer. Divorce is an unpleasant and frustrating process under the best of circumstances. If you are unable to reach your divorce attorney, or at least someone on his or her staff, the frustration level can increase exponentially.

Fees

When you make your initial appointment with the divorce attorney, you should inquire about a consultation fee. Some lawyers do brief initial consultations for free, although most experienced divorce lawyers will charge between $100.00 and $200.00 as a consultation fee, or will charge their normal hourly rate.

For example, I charge a flat $100.00 consultation fee with no additional hourly charges, regardless of the length of the meeting. Essentially, the consultation fee is to "weed out" those people who are not serious about the possibility of hiring me. Given that my normal hourly rate is $200.00/hour and the usual typical consultation takes about 90 minutes, the charge for my consultation is significantly discounted. Therefore, you shouldn't let a consultation fee scare you away from interviewing a particular lawyer.

During the consultation it is vitally important that you have a candid discussion with the prospective divorce lawyer about fees and what you can expect. Typically, an experienced divorce lawyer will require the payment of a substantial retainer up front, against which that lawyer's hourly rate and expenses will be charged. You should find out what that lawyer's hourly rate is, what the up front retainer will be, whether any portion of the retainer is refundable if it is not exhausted, and how often you can expect to receive invoices that detail their hourly charges and expenses. You also will want to know how detailed the invoices are. Once again, this is another area where you can get excellent information from those people who have been clients of that divorce lawyer.

Comfortable

While all the above issues are important, there is one final question you should ask yourself before hiring a divorce lawyer. Are you comfortable with that lawyer and are you confident in his or her abilities? If the answer is anything other than a resounding "yes," you should keep looking. Your case is too important to entrust to someone who does not inspire your confidence.

Scott Morgan is a Houston attorney who practices exclusively in the field of divorce and family law. He has practiced family law in Texas since 1994. For more information go to http://www.houstondivorce.com

---

Google News Updated : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:08:13 GMT Iran test fires long and medium range missiles - Reuters Malaysia Star Iran test fires long and medium range missiles Reuters - 1 hour ago By Fredrik Dahl TEHRAN, July 9 (Reuters) - Iran has test fired nine long- and medium-range missiles, including one which it has previously said could reach Israel and US bases in the region, state media reported on Wednesday. Iran Test-Fires Missile Capable of Reaching Israel (Update1) Bloomberg Iran test-fires Shahab-3 long-range missile RIA Novosti BBC News - Monsters and Critics.com - International Herald Tribune - Jerusalem Post all 347 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:02:53 GMT VMware Ousts CEO Diane Greene - BusinessWeek Boston Globe VMware Ousts CEO Diane Greene BusinessWeek - 1 hour ago by Aaron Ricadela VMware ended a long-running battle over its strategic direction on July 8, ousting co-founder and CEO Diane Greene and installing Microsoft veteran Paul Maritz in her place. EMC Replaces the Chief and Co-Founder of VMware, Silencing Talk of ... New York Times VMware CEO abruptly replaced SiliconValley.com Wall Street Journal - Forbes - MarketWatch - San Francisco Chronicle all 361 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:13:27 GMT Cheesesteaks, troops withdrawals and cigarettes that kill Iranians… - FOXNews Cheesesteaks, troops withdrawals and cigarettes that kill Iranians… FOXNews - 4 hours ago by Mosheh Oinounou PITTSBURGH, PA - Sen. McCain, joined by his wife Cindy, made a previously unannounced visit to the Primanti Brothers Restaurant and Bar, a famous Pittsburgh-area sandwich shop, Tuesday evening for a retail stop-turned media ... Caution: Can Iran cigarette jokes be dangerous to McCain's ... Los Angeles Times McCain jokes about killing Iranians with cigarettes Reuters The Associated Press - Washington Post - ABC News - Tribune Review all 156 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:11:13 GMT Hunger for victory defines Obama - Financial Times BBC News Hunger for victory defines Obama Financial Times - 2 hours ago By Edward Luce in Washington When Democrats criticise John McCain, they first praise his honourable military record. When Republicans do the same to Barack Obama, many begin by conceding that he is an “attractive and talented candidate”. Video: AP Campaign Minute AssociatedPress McCain, Obama Trade Early Fire in TV Ads FOXNews ABC News - KVBC - The Associated Press - Newsweek all 2,342 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:54:07 GMT McCain, Obama court Latino group - Los Angeles Times Voice of America McCain, Obama court Latino group Los Angeles Times - 2 hours ago Sen. John McCain addresses the League of United Latino American Citizens in Washington, DC. today. McCain plans to tell the Latino advocacy group that the nation must secure its borders "while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal ... Candidates talk up Latino connections Boston Globe Candidates woo Hispanic group USA Today New York Daily News - Houston Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel all 500 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:56:13 GMT Cheney's staff censored EPA, ex-official alleges - Boston Globe Washington Post Cheney's staff censored EPA, ex-official alleges Boston Globe - 1 hour ago WASHINGTON - Members of Vice President Dick Cheney's staff censored congressional testimony by a top federal official on the health threats posed by global warming, a former official of the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday. Cheney’s Office Said to Edit Draft Testimony on Warming New York Times White House in climate change "cover up" Reuters San Francisco Chronicle - USA Today - ABC News - Wall Street Journal all 564 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:36:02 GMT Reiser deal ultimately hinges on judge's OK - San Francisco Chronicle Washington Post Reiser deal ultimately hinges on judge's OK San Francisco Chronicle - 44 minutes ago (07-08) 17:14 PDT OAKLAND -- The defense can ask for a deal in a murder case like Hans Reiser's, and the prosecution can sign off on it, but it's the judge who has the final say. Reiser takes plea deal for lesser sentence San Jose Mercury News My interview with murderer Hans Reiser Salon San Diego Union Tribune - SiliconValley.com - The Associated Press - CNET News all 654 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:23:31 GMT Clickbank Get Paid for Surveys

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

How Women Should Protect Themselves Financially Regarding Divorce

Women who believe a divorce is a possibility or who... Read More

Anatomy of a Divorce: How it Really Works

The legal divorce vs. your real divorce The legal... Read More

Guide To Reducing The Cost Of Divorce

Seven Tips to help you keep more of your money... Read More

Houston Divorce Lawyer - West Houston Attorney Answers Common Questions About Mediation

If you are reading this, then you are probably either... Read More

How To Protect Your Life Insurance Policy While Going Through A Divorce

Life insurance, more than most things you buy, relates to... Read More

Deciding on Divorce: How to Know You are Making the Right Choice

It's a well known fact that in this day and... Read More

Cheating Husbands - Meeting Needs?

Husbands cheat on their wives for many reasons. They could... Read More

Seven Sets of Documents You Need For Your Divorce

Even if you believe your case will ultimately be agreed... Read More

Divorce

The most recent statistics show that about 50% of all... Read More

How Thinking About An Uncontested Divorce Figures Into Your Decision About Divorce

An uncontested divorce is the most common type of divorce.... Read More

Grieving the End of Your Marriage, as You Know it

The pain of finding out that your partner is cheating... Read More

Commitment

Being marriage means being fully committed to your husband as... Read More

Does Your Sexless Marriage Have You Thinking About Divorce?

If you are in a sexless marriage and are unhappy... Read More

Should I Get Divorced? Or Not?

No one besides you can determine whether or not a... Read More

There Is Life After Divorce

A married woman becomes a single woman for one of... Read More

Five Christmas Survival Tips For The Divorced & Single Parent

For the over 50% of marriages that end in divorce,... Read More

5 Things To Do Before You Even Think About Getting A Divorce

There are many steps to take to protect yourself in... Read More

Divorce--How to Beat the System

Of course you want to get your Judgment--that's the goal... Read More

An In-Depth Look at Army Divorce Rates

Raleigh, NC-The largest divorce firm in the state, Rosen Law... Read More

Avoid Lawyers! Do-It-Yourself Divorce Saved Me Tons of Money!

Let me preface this by saying right up front -... Read More

Love and Marriage Fairy Tale

When we were children we believed in fairy tales and... Read More

The Legal Side of Divorce

While divorce can be an emotionally draining experience, even in... Read More

Child Support: 5 Key Things Every Parent Should Know

There is no magic solution to getting issues surrounding child... Read More

Healing Dysfunctional Families

In a recent article entitled "Some Evidence On How We... Read More

Reasons For Divorce; What Constitutes Viable Reasons For Thinking About Or Wanting A Divorce?

According to the Center for Disease Control's National Vital Statistics... Read More